Catherine Deneuve Celebrated at IFC Center

By Andy Webster

April 18, 2015

Image

Catherine Deneuve in “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” from 1964.CreditJanus Films

Imperious, perverse, remote and radiant, Catherine Deneuve is a monument to French poise and pulchritude. François Truffaut, Luis Buñuel and Roman Polanski are among the Continental auteurs who have been captivated by her. Now, the IFC Center honors her with “Deneuve x 8,” a program of her best-known films, playing through June 7 as part of its Weekend Classics series.

Kicking off the tribute is Jacques Demy’s bittersweet confection “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” (1964), a marvel of exuberant production design, imbued with Michel Legrand songs, that made Ms. Deneuve an international star. Other highlights include Mr. Polanski’s chilling “Repulsion” (1965), in which Ms. Deneuve’s character mentally unravels in London; Mr. Buñuel’s “Tristana” (1970), in which she portrays a woman fighting domestic captivity; and Tony Scott’s “The Hunger” (1983), in which her aura burns bright even as an undead creature of the night. (323 Avenue of the Americas at West Third Street, Greenwich Village; 212-924-7771, ifccenter.com.)